Chemical composition, metabolic rates and feeding behavior of the midwater ctenophoreBathocyroe fosteri

✍ Scribed by M. J. Youngbluth; P. Kremer; T. G. Bailey; C. A. Jacoby

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag
• Year: 1988
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 1018 KB
• Volume: 98
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0025-3162
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00392662

✦ Synopsis

Individuals of the midwater ctenophore Bathocyroefosteri (0.01 to 1.6 g dry weight, DW) were collected from Bahamian waters by the submersible "Johnson-Sea-Link" during May and September/October 1983 and October/November 1984 from 530 to 700 m depth. Metabolic rates were measured and showed oxygen consumption to be in the range of 0.01 to 0.18mgO2g-lDWh -~ at temperatures ranging from 9 ~ to 12 ~ Ammonium excretion (0.01 to 0.14ktg-at N g -1 DWh -1) was typically low. Energy expenditures estimated from respiration data (ca. 7% body C d -~) indicated that one to three midwater crustacean prey (ca. 150 ktg C d -1) could provide the daily maintenance ration required by a 40 mm ctenophore.

These metabolic characteristics complemented in situ observations of poor locomotor ability and passive feeding behavior.